Police

Report for WSP, SCSO and KC Search and Rescue

Two people were injured in a three-vehicle accident on Aug. 11, 2011, at approximately 10:45 a.m. The accident occurred on State Route 14 at milepost 81, 15 miles east of Bingen.

According to the report, a 2005 Ford Escape driven by Sandra A. Hayden, 66, Klickitat, a 2006 PT Cruiser driven by Barbara J. Hartzell, 62, Lyle, and a 2001 Subaru Forester driven by Oren Johnson, 66, Lyle, were all traveling west on SR 14. The PT Cruiser and Subaru were both stopped for a vehicle turning left. Hayden told troopers there was a pedestrian in the roadway and that she swerved into the oncoming traffic to avoid the pedestrian and stuck the PT Cruiser which in turn struck the Subaru.

Hayden suffered abrasions to her arm. A passenger in her vehicle, Harold D. Brack, 90, Klickitat, had lacerations to his hand. Neither were transported to a hospital.

Hartzell suffered chest pain and was transported to Mid Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles.

Johnson escaped injury.

Hayden was charged with following too close.

A Goldendale woman was injured in a one-vehicle accident on Aug. 11, 2011, at approximately 5:34 p.m. The accident occurred on SR 14 at milepost 96, 15 miles southwest of Goldendale.

According to the report, Della R. Sawdon, 46, Goldendale, was driving her 1990 Toyota Celica eastbound on SR 14. The vehicle traveled off the westbound shoulder and rolled, coming to rest on its wheels facing southbound.

Sawdon suffered facial lacerations and a sore back and neck. She was transported to MCMC in The Dalles.

Sawdon was charged with negligent driving.

SKAMANIA COUNTY

SHERIFF'S OFFICE

15-year-old Braden Crampton, reportedly from the Corvallis, Ore., area, was transported to Emanuel Hospital in Portland by Life Flight after receiving injuries from a 100 foot fall on Mt. St. Helens on Aug. 11

Resources from the Volcano Rescue Team from Fire District 13 out of Yacolt, as well as the Skamania County Sheriff's Office responded to the Climber's Bivouac on the southwest side of Mt St Helens for the rescue coordination. Members of the Volcano Rescue Team were able to work their way up to Crampton, where they treated his injuries and packed him back down to the awaiting LifeFlight helicopter.

"We are very fortunate to have a resource such as the Volcano Rescue Team that we can rely on in situations such as this," said Sheriff Dave Brown. "Their expertise has been proven time and again during such incidents and the service they provide is invaluable in dealing with emergencies from the recreating public on and around Mt St Helens."

Skamania County Sheriff's Office and South Lake Tahoe, Calif., detectives continue to investigate the disappearance of 54-year-old Marie Hanson.

She was last seen the evening of July 6, 2011, at the Rainbow Family Gathering that took place in rural Skamania County on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

The family and detectives working on the case have requested anyone who has seen or had contact with Hanson after the evening of July 6 to please come forward with any information they may have.

Skamania County Sheriff's Office has conducted one extensive search in the area of the Rainbow Gathering for Hanson, and is planning another search in the near future.

If anyone has information regarding Hanson's whereabouts, contact detective Tim Garrity with the Skamania County Sheriff's Office at 427-9490 or email timg@co.skamania.wa.us.

The Skamania County Sheriff's Office initiated a search late Friday evening, Aug. 12, after receiving a report that a hiker was stuck on a bluff near Lemei Lake in the Indian Heaven Wildness near Mt. Adams.

Stephen Funk, 42, Portland, Ore., had contacted a friend by cell phone late Friday afternoon and reported he had been hiking in the area of Lemei Rock and Lake Wapiki and had lost the trail due to snow. Funk told the friend he was unable to locate the trail and did not know how to find his way out. Skamania County Sheriff's deputies responded to the area along with an officer from the Forest Service. Funk reported via cell phone that he could see a road from his location. Deputies were able to obtain a visual on Funk from Forest Road 24.

Search and Rescue resources were dispatched to the area. At about 9:30 p.m. a hasty team from Wind River Search and Rescue was sent into the field. At approximately 3:40 a.m. Saturday, searchers located Funk. Searchers provided Funk food and water and then began the hike back to the trailhead. Searchers arrived back at search base at approximately 6:30 a.m.

Funk had set out for a day hike in the Wilderness and discovered parts of the high country in the wilderness are still covered with snow making it difficult to locate the trail system. Funk was fortunate to have the use of a cell phone to make the initial report and to stay in contact throughout the search mission.

"There is no substitute for a map and compass when venturing out into the wilderness and it is always a good idea to expect the unexpected as in this case. There is still a moderate amount of snow in many places in the high country," said Sheriff Dave Brown. "Up until last week, there were some roads that were still impassable due to snow drifts in the Mt. Adams area," said Brown.

Hikers should be prepared to encounter snow when hiking the wilderness areas and specifically the Pacific Crest trail and feeder trails above the 4,500-foot level. It is possible that some of the snow will remain well into late August and early September.

KLICKITAT COUNTY

SEARCH & RESCUE

On Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, at 10:30 p.m., Klickitat County Search and Rescue was dispatched to an injured climber on Mt. Adams at the 7,000 foot elevation.

Two Klickitat County SAR members were able to reach the patient, a 50-year-old from Eatonville who had fallen into a boulder field, at 11 p.m. and stabilize his injuries while setting up an LZ for a Life Flight helicopter to land near the patient.

He suffered a broken scapula, broken right arm, injured knee and possible head injury.

Due to Life Flight's location at the Dallesport airport, it was able to arrive 17 minutes after activation and transport the patient 35 minutes to Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver.

Mt. Adams park rangers and fellow climbers were a huge help in making the rescue a success.